©2025 Victor R. Claveau, MJ
A Catholic can disagree with the Church’s position on health care, education, economic security, immigration, or taxes, and still remain a Catholic in good-standing. However, if when aware of the Church’s position that abortion and euthanasia are intrinsically evil, a Catholic deliberately votes for a pro-abortion candidate when there is a pro-life alternative, he separates himself from the Church and from Jesus Christ – forfeiting salvation. Repentance and sacramental confession are necessary to regain membership in the Body of Christ.
Any Catholic who supports intrinsically evil acts (abortion, euthanasia, cloning, same-sex marriage, etc), votes for them, or otherwise financially supports or furthers their cause, cannot remain Catholic. Catholics must adhere to Catholic teaching or they separate themselves from the Church; the Body of Christ.
Such Catholics are excommunicated by virtue of the acts themselves. A latae sententiae (automatic) excommunication is triggered when they support, enable, and perpetuate such obvious and egregious evil (Code of Canon Law, Canons 1364, 1398; Canon 1329, § 2) They are in turn forbidden from approaching the sacraments as the result (Catechism of Catholic Church # 1463).